Fluttershy and the Seven Fillies
by Daniel Fielder
Summary: To escape her jealous step-mother, Princess Fluttershy finds shelter in the home of seven orphans.
1. I'm Wishing

I was inspired to do this by Jsrashad's Snow White and the Seven Peanuts project.

Disclaimer: Snow White belongs to Disney, and My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro, Hub, and Lauren Faust.

* * *

 **Fluttershy and the Seven Fillies**

Chapter 1: I'm Wishing

Once upon a time, the queen of a humble but prosperous kingdom on Ambria was knitting by the window. She was knitting an outfit for her expected child.

"I cannot wait to tend to a baby." The queen said.

As the queen continued to knit, a stray bit of pink fell on a small golden banister she was sitting near that was studded with sapphires. She liked how it looked together.

"How lovely my child would be if she had a golden coat with eyes like sapphires, and a pink mane."

Shortly after this wish, her daughter was born, but the queen used a good deal too much of her strength to bring the child into the world, so she only had enough strength to see that she was exactly how she dreamed she'd look and she named her Fluttershy. Shortly afterwards, the king died as well, and Fluttershy was raised by her father's second wife, now the Queen.

Fluttershy was lovely and full of life and laughter and very in tune with her emotions. Her step-mother Suri Polomare, however, feared that one day, Fluttershy's beauty would surpass her own. Because of this, she usually dressed Fluttershy in rags except for very special occasions where she couldn't afford to without appearing weak to her allies. Despite this, Fluttershy still enjoyed life and dreamed of the day she'd find the stallion she would love.

Every day, Suri went to a magic mirror she'd bought after her husband's death and asked, "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of all?" And as long as the mirror replied that she was the fairest, Fluttershy would live for another day, safe from her step-mother's jealousy…

()()()()()

Suri walked over to the mirror. It had been ten years since her husband's death when she ascended to the throne, and she enjoyed it immensely. It was time for her daily check to make sure she was still on top of the beauty game. She could tell sixteen years ago when she first met Fluttershy that she could not afford to let her subjects decide they liked Fluttershy better than her. They might overthrow her… Or worse, take her off their money!

She arrived at the mirror and raised her hooves as she recited the incantation.

"Sombra, slave of the magic mirror, come from the farthest space." Suri recited as she crossed her arms. "Through wind and darkness, I summon thee. Speak! Let me see thy face."

In a burst of flames, a face appeared, the face of Sombra. A sharp face with a firey, black mane with red eyes that were green where the white should be. Sombra's eyes stared blankly at her.

"What wouldst thou know, my queen?" Sombra asked in his usual monotone voice.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall," Suri recited. "Who is the fairest of them all?"

"Famed is thy beauty, majesty." Sombra responded as his eyes widened slightly. "But hold… A lovely maid I see. Rags cannot hide her gentle grace. Alas, she is more fair than thee."

"Alas for _her_!" Suri spat out. "What's her name?!"

"Hair pink as a pink rose." The face responded calmly. "Coat yellow as gold. Eyes blue as sapphires."

"Fluttershy!" Suri said through her teeth.

()()()()()

Fluttershy was washing the stairs of the palace as she hummed to herself. She was almost done, and she was happy for her good life. True she had to work every day, but it had helped keep her strong, and she knew that when she got married, she'd be able to have a family again. She had missed that part of her life when she had a father _and_ a mother. She had made friends with all the other ambassadors that lived in the kingdom.

She finished the stairs and sighed contentedly as she picked up the pail and prepared to put it back in the well as several doves watched her. She put the pail in and looked at them.

"Wanna hear a secret?" Fluttershy asked.

The doves nodded. Fluttershy had a way with animals. They were her closest friends here.

"Promise not to tell?" Fluttershy asked again, and the doves shook their heads.

" _We are standing by a wishing well._ "

Fluttershy then pointed at the hole in the well.

 _Make a wish into the well,_

 _That's all you have to do._

 _And if you hear it echoing,_

 _Your wish will soon come true._

Fluttershy then put her head near the well.

 _I'm wishing… (I'm wishing…)_

 _For the one I love,_

 _To find me… (To find me…)_

 _Today. (Today.)_

 _I'm hoping… (I'm hoping…)_

 _And I'm dreaming of,_

 _The nice things… (The nice things…)_

 _He'll say. (He'll say.)_

Had Fluttershy known it, that day, a Pegasus from Ponyville was passing by the palace when he heard Fluttershy singing. His name was Bulk Biceps, and he was doing some cardio as he was a fan of working out. Bulk thought it was the nicest, sweetest voice he'd ever heard and hopped over the wall to see who it was and saw a girl, the prettiest one he'd ever seen, and her kind nature, which he could easily see on her face in the way her eyes looked in conjunction with her mouth's movements, only made her more beautiful.

Fluttershy continued singing as the well echoed back.

 _Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha. (Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha.)_

 _Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha. (Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha.)_

 _Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha. (Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha.)_

 _Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!_

 _I'm wishing… (I'm wishing…)_

 _For the one I love,_

 _To find me… (To find me…)_

 _Today._

" _Today!_ " Bulk sang out as he appeared next to Nomi.

"Oh!" Fluttershy exclaimed as she jumped back. The boy had caught her by surprise, and it didn't help that she was a bit shy around strangers.

"Hey." The boy said. "My name's Bulk. I didn't frighten you, did I?"

Fluttershy ran off as she didn't want someone she'd just met to see her in her work clothes.

"Wait." Bulk called out. "Wait please! Don't run away."

Fluttershy ran into the castle, but Bulk called out.

 _Now that I've found you,_

 _Hear what I have to say!_

Fluttershy then walked out against her first instinct and listened.

 _One song, I have but one song._

 _One song, only for you._

Fluttershy swooned and tidied herself up as best as she could.

 _One heart, steadily beating._

 _Constant and true!_

Fluttershy looked down and found herself falling in love with him as he fell in love with her.

 _One love that has possessed me._

 _One love, brimming with truth._

 _One song, my hear keeps singing._

 _Of one love, only for you._

Fluttershy smiled and came down as she kissed Bulk gently on his cheek.

"I'm Fluttershy." Fluttershy said. "I hope that I see you again."

"Me too." Bulk said. He kissed her hoof and went off.

()()()()()

Unknown to either lover, Suri watched from a high up window and scowled. Fluttershy would pay for putting her at number two.

* * *

Well… This idea just came with me, so I went with it. Please tell me what ya think.


	2. With a Smile and a Song

Chapter Two: With a Smile and a Song

Shortly after Fluttershy met Bulk, Suri was talking to the griffon ambassador, Gabby, who had sworn to serve her as part of a pact she made to help the griffons.

"Take her far into the forest." Suri said. "Find a nice secluded place where she can pick wild flowers."

"Yes your majesty." Gabby said.

"And there, my faithful friend, you will _kill_ her." Suri said with a mad glint in her eyes.

"But your majesty, the little princess-" Gabby argued before Suri stood up, and her eyes glowed darkly.

"SILENCE!" Suri ordered. "You know the penalty if you fail."

The penalty would be that Gabby's family would all be executed, and Gabby would be forced to watch.

"Yes… Your majesty…" Ordo said in a defeated voice.

"And just to make sure that you don't fail, bring back her heart in this." Suri pulled out a red box with golden trim. The lock was a golden heart with a golden dagger cutting into it.

()()()()()

A few days later, Gabby took Fluttershy to a forest outside the town of Ponyville. Fluttershy was walking through a forest that she had never been to, and she was excited about all the lovely flowers there. She also hoped that she'd meet Bulk there before she had to go back home.

 _One song, I have but one song._

 _One song, only for you._

She hummed the song he sang to her, their song, to herself as she picked as many wild flowers as she could carry. Suddenly, she saw a small blue bird chirping not far off.

"Oh hello there." Fluttershy said as she turned to the baby bird. "What's the matter?"

The bird chirped fearfully, and Fluttershy recognized it as the fears of a lost child.

"Where are your mother and father? Are you lost?" Fluttershy asked, and the bird began to cry. "Oh, please don't cry. Come on, cheer up. Won't you smile for me?"

The bird chirped happily.

"That's better." Fluttershy said encouragingly. "Your mother and father can't be far away. Oh, there they are. Good-bye little one. Good-bye."

The bird flew off to his parents as Fluttershy smiled.

()()()()()

Gabby meanwhile, stretched her talons as she walked to Fluttershy. Just after Fluttershy helped the bird find his parents, Gabby raised her talons as Fluttershy turned around and screamed. She prepared to defend herself as best she could against the talons, but she knew that it was no use when Gabby dropped her hand.

"I can't." Gabby said. "I can't do it. Forgive me, your highness. I beg you."

Gabby fell to her knees and bowed her head.

"I don't understand." Fluttershy said in a confused voice.

"She's mad." Gabby said. "Jealous of you! She'll stop at nothing!"

"Who?" Fluttershy asked.

"The queen!" Gabby said.

"The queen?" Fluttershy said. How could her step-mother do such a terrible thing?

"Run for it, ma'am!" Gabby said. "Run! Go away and hide in the woods! Anywhere, just never come back! Go!" Fluttershy still stood there nervously. "GO!"

Fluttershy rushed off into the forest as Gabby stretched her talons again and walked to a nearby wild boar. She'd give the queen something alright.

()()()()()

Fluttershy ran into the woods, and in her panicked state, every tree seemed to have eyes, and their branches were clawed hands trying to reach out and grab her! She eventually fell down into a pond, and when she got up, she saw two logs that seemed to be alligators and ran out where she was surrounded by frightening trees that starred at her darkly before she screamed and fell crying. It was all over.

()()()()()

As she cried, she realized something, no one was attacking her. She looked up to find that it was still daylight, and the eyes were simply the animals of the forest. She even noticed the squirrels, the dear, and the birds. When a rabbit came up to her, she startled at the creature rubbing its nose next to her face, and they scattered.

"Oh, don't go away." Fluttershy said as she felt her confidence return. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I was just surprised. I was very frightened, and all because I was afraid of things that weren't really scary. I'm so ashamed over the fuss that I have made. What do you do when things go wrong?"

The birds tweeted.

"Ooh!" Fluttershy said happily. "You sing a song!"

The birds chirped a yes.

" _Ah-ha-ha, ha, ha._ " Fluttershy sang, and the baby bird she'd helped before sang along.

 _Ah-ha-ha, ha, ha._

 _Ahhh… Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, ha._

The bird tried to follow along again, but he failed to hit Fluttershy's high notes, but Nomi just chuckled happily.

 _With a smile and a song,_

 _Life is just like a bright sunny day._

 _Your cares fade away._

 _And your heart is young._

 _With a smile and a song,_

 _All the world seems to waken anew,_

 _Rejoices with you._

 _As the sung is sung._

More animals came out to listen to Fluttershy's singing. A chipmunk came up and rested on Fluttershy's lap.

 _There's no use in grumbling_

 _When raindrops come tumbling._

 _Remember, you're the one_

 _Who can fill the world with sunshine._

She then petted a faun that had come up, and the rabbit who had come up to her before laid his head down on her legs.

 _When you smile and you sing,_

 _Everything is in tune and it's spring_

 _And life flows along,_

 _With a smile and a song._

The animals then all cheered, and Fluttershy felt that maybe things would not be so bad for her now.

* * *

That was fun.


	3. Whistle While You Work

Chapter Three: Whistle While You Work

"I really feel quite happy now." Fluttershy said with a smile. "I'm sure I'll get along somehow. Everything's going to be alright… But I do need a place to sleep at night."

She petted the bunny by her leg.

"I can't sleep in the ground like you." Fluttershy said. She then looked at the squirrels. "Or in a tree like you do, and I'm sure I could never fit in a bird's nest." Then she got a brilliant idea! "Maybe you know where I could stay in these woods!"

The birds and other animals all made their respective ways of saying yes.

"You do?!" Fluttershy said with a smile. She wasn't sure if that would really work. "Will you take me there?"

The birds and dear then led Fluttershy to a small cabin. When she saw the cabin, she noticed that it looked quite modest.

"Oh it's adorable!" Fluttershy said in delight. "It looks just like a doll house!"

Fluttershy then walked up to the house.

"I like it here." Fluttershy then looked into the window, but she couldn't make out anything inside. "It's dark in there."

Fluttershy then knocked. Nothing happened. Maybe no one heard her. She knocked again, but there still wasn't an answer.

"Well, I guess there's nothing for it." Fluttershy said as she tested the door knob and found it unlocked. "Oh."

She went in with the animals.

"Hello?" Fluttershy called out. No one answered. "I guess no one is home."

Fluttershy walked around and figured that she could just stay and wait for the ponies to come home. She noticed several toys on the ground and thought, _Maybe I could be their nanny and take care of their child… Or children._

Fluttershy then squealed with delight as she saw a small chair. She looked down at it as the animals came in too.

"What a cute little chair!" Fluttershy said. She then noticed that there were several more. "Wait a moment, there are seven little chairs. There must be seven little children here." She then looked at a very messy table with cups, plates, and all manner of left over garbage on the table. "And from the look of the table seven untidy little children."

She walked over and saw what was on there.

"Toys at the table." Fluttershy said as she picked up a toy car for a ten-year-old to play with. She then saw a sock. "A sock too?!" Fluttershy then opened a pot and took out, "A shoe?"

Fluttershy whistled with the birds. She then walked to the fire place.

"Covered in dust, of course." Fluttershy blew, and several chipmunks sneezed. "And cobwebs everywhere. A pile of dirty dishes in the sink, and just look at that broom!"

The broom laid there as if it hadn't ever been used.

"I doubt they've ever swept this room." Fluttershy said. "You'd think their mother would-" Then she stopped as she realized something. "Maybe they don't have a mother. Then they'd be orphans. Oh, those poor little children. Maybe we should clean the house, and surprise them when they come back from… Whatever they're doing… Then maybe they will let me stay."

Fluttershy then looked around, and her new friends did as well.

"Alright, squirrels, you wash the dishes." Fluttershy said. "And rabbits, tidy up the room. Deer, clean the fireplace, and I'll use the broom."

The birds then whistled to commence the large project Lana had suggested.

 _Just whistle while you work._

 _And cheerfully together we can tidy up this place._

 _So hum a merry tune._

 _It won't take long when there's a song to help us set the pace._

The singing actually did keep everyone lively enough to keep on track. Fluttershy was easily sweeping the room and flying up to deal with the cobwebs. The squirrels used rags and their own tails to wash the dishes, and the dear used their tails to dust the fireplace, and the stags used their antlers to help the smaller animals make Starfire's job easier by dusting the walls and everywhere they could reach.

 _And as you sweep the room_

 _Imagine that the broom is someone that you love_

 _And soon you'll find you're dancing to the tune._

"Oh, no, no." Fluttershy said as one of the fauns was trying to clean a plate by licking it. "Those go in the tub."

Fluttershy then handed a plate to the squirrel, and he put it there.

"Why don't you help your parents?" Fluttershy asked.

The dear smiled and cleaned the fire place with his mother.

As a rabbit was pushing dirt under the rug, Fluttershy caught them.

"Nah-uh." Fluttershy said kindly but firmly. "Pushing dirt under a rug isn't cleaning."

The rabbits then moved the rub and pushed the dirt out of the house.

"Yes, that's much better." Fluttershy said with a smile as she scratched behind the rabbit's ear.

Fluttershy and a few of the squirrels then got to work cleaning a large organ. She figured she could learn to play it for the children. The birds then brought in flowers to liven up the room and used a pouch they'd brought to water the flowers.

With the house cleaned up, everyone then helped put away the clothes and the toys. As the toys were put away, the stag helped Lana take the clothes she couldn't carry, which wasn't very much, and she and several raccoons began washing the clothes, and Fluttershy hung them to dry.

 _So whistle while you work._

After finishing cleaning, Fluttershy relaxed by the wall and found a book entitled, _The Magician's Nephew_ by CS Lewis.

* * *

Is there anything Disney or MLP animals can't do?


	4. Heigh-Ho

Chapter 4: Heigh-Ho

In a cave deep in the mountains, seven fillies were working to get some precious stones to be able to survive in the world. Their orphanage was shut down, and the fillies mined precious stones to survive.

The leaders were ten-year-old children named Rainbow Dash, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle. Right under them was a nine-year-old known as Trixie and an eight-year-old named Rarity. At the bottom of the chain of command was a seven-year-old named Pinkie Pie. To make things go by quicker, and to stop Pinkie from complaining, they sang a work song, which only Rainbow Dash objected to.

 _We dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig_

 _In our mine the whole day through._

 _To dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig_

 _Is what we have to do._

" _It's not a trick._ " Sunset said as she used her magic to easily cut through the walls. " _You get rich quick._ "

" _If you dig-dig-dig with a shovel or a pick._ " Rainbow Dash said as she dug out a diamond the size of Star Swirl the Bearded's brain.

" _In a mine._ " Trixie said as her echo repeated, " _In a mine._ "

" _In a mine!_ " Applejack repeated as she liked the way the echo sounded. " _In a mine!_ "

 _Where a million diamonds…_

 _Shine!_

As they blinked in wonder, Rarity was driving a cart with her magic while she was reading a book called _The Once and Future King_.

 _We dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig_

 _From morning until night._

Rarity saw a fly buzzing around and smashed him.

 _We dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig_

 _Up everything in sight._

Rarity then dropped the diamonds in front of Twilight Sparkle, who used a hammer to see how good the diamonds were. If they weren't good, she'd toss them on the floor.

 _We dig up diamonds by the score._

 _Diamonds rubies sometimes more._

 _And we're not sure what we dig them for._

 _We dig-dig-diggity-dig._

Pinkie's job was to sweep up the rejects and throw them in a landfill. As she watched Twilight observe a very large diamond, she picked up two of them. A few minutes later, she tapped on Twilight's shoulder, and she turned around to see Pinkie with the diamonds in her eyes. Twilight then knocked the diamonds out with a slight thump on the head.

Twilight then looked at the clock to see that it was already five in the afternoon.

" _Heigh-ho!_ " Twilight called as a way to sound the end of the day.

" _Heigh-ho!_ " Everyone called back to show they heard. They then headed back home.

 _Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho!_

They then walked off with about three diamonds each to tide them over for a while.

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

The rest of the diamonds were then put into a safe as Pinkie put the key in his pocket to keep safe until the next day.

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho, hum._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho,_

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho,_

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

 _Heigh-ho, heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho, heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho._

Yeah, that's what I'm using for the dwarves. Deal with it.

* * *

No flaming if you don't like it by the way.


	5. Meeting Fluttershy

Chapter 5: Meeting Fluttershy

As night fell, the animals returned to their home except for a few birds and the family of deer.

"Let's see what's upstairs." Fluttershy said, and she went up to find a bedroom with seven beds. "Oh what adorable beds, and they have their names carved on them." Fluttershy then proceeded to read the names. "'Twilight Sparkle' 'Applejack' 'Sunset Shimmer' 'Pinkie Pie'" Fluttershy giggled good-naturedly. "What funny names for children. 'Rainbow Dash', 'Trixie', and 'Rarity'." Fluttershy then yawned. "I better hit the hay."

Fluttershy then laid down across Applejack, Sunset, and Pinkie's beds as the deer went to sleep on the floor. The birds then put the candle out with their tails and covered Fluttershy up before flying down stairs.

Suddenly, the deer were awakened by the sounds of ponies coming, and they returned to the forest for fear of being attacked by the cottage's inhabitants.

()()()()()

The group returned home as Twilight led the way with her horn.

"Look!" Twilight suddenly said as she stopped abruptly and everyone slammed into her. "Our house. The light's lit!"

Everyone then snuck to the side and looked at the house.

"Jiminy Cricket." Pinkie said in a low whisper as he looked.

"The door's open." Twilight pointed out as light was coming through the doorway.

"Looks like smokes coming from the chimney." Trixie said.

"Something's in there." Sunset remarked.

"Ya don't think it's someone bad, do ya?" Applejack asked.

"Could be anything." Trixie said.

"Either way, something's up." Rainbow said. "We better approach it carefully."

"How?" Pinkie asked.

"Let's sneak up on it." Applejack said.

"Right." Twilight said. "Follow me."

They nervously snuck to the house and went inside. Twilight slowly opened the door which appeared to creek louder than it normally did, but they just put that off to nerves. They then tip-toed in as Pinkie slammed the door shut.

"SHH!" They all hissed at Pinkie.

"SHH!" Pinkie hissed at the door.

"We better search every nook and cranny." Twilight said.

"Yeah, and we should search everywhere too." Pinkie said, which earned her a slap from Rainbow.

"Ouch!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Girls, be quiet." Rarity hissed.

As Twilight, Sunset, and Rarity checked one area of the house, Twilight looked down and gasped.

"Look at the floor!" Twilight called out in surprise. "It's been swept!"

"Who in the world would break into a house to sweep a floor?" Rarity asked incredulously.

Rainbow rubbed a hoof against one of the chairs at the table and looked.

"The chair's been dusted." She observed.

"The windows are all washed." Applejack stated.

"No cobwebs anywhere." Trixie stated.

"The whole place is cleaner than an operating room." Twilight said in surprise.

"Someone's definitely been in here." Rainbow said. "We're lucky if we manage to clean the place once a week, and we never get it this clean. There's dirty work a foot."

"The sink's empty." Sunset said as he looked inside with Rarity. "Guys, someone stole our dishes."

"No they didn't!" Applejack said exasperatedly. "They just cleaned 'em and put them in the cupboard."

"Hey, they washed Trixie's cup!" Trixie groaned as she ran her hoof around it. "No more sugar!"

"Good." Rarity said. "The last thing we need is you all hopped up on sugar again."

Applejack and Pinkie approached a bubbling pot.

"Something's cooking in there." Applejack said as she sniffed. "And it smells pretty good."

Applejack made to grab a ladle when Rainbow grabbed it and pulled her away.

"Are you stupid?!" Rainbow asked. "That could be poison!"

As if on cue, the pot hissed.

"AHH!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Why do I bother?" Rainbow said.

Twilight then drew everyone's attention to the table.

"Look what happened to the table!" Twilight said as Trixie picked up some golden rods that were there.

"Hey cool, flowers." Trixie said. "Look at this Sunset, golden rods."

"Oh no!" Sunset said as her nose began to get stuffed up. "My nose, I've had hay fever for the last few weeks! You know I can't stand it, Trixie! I ca- I coo- I c-"

"HIT THE DECK!" Rainbow called out. As Pinkie, Trixie, and Rarity ducked, Rainbow, Applejack, and Twilight held their fingers to her nose.

"Phew." Sunset said. "Thanks guys… AH CHOO!"

The other six were then blown into the wall by an accidental burst of magical wind.

"Good gravy!" Applejack exclaimed.

"A great time you picked to sneeze!" Rainbow whispered angrily at Sunset, her best friend.

"I couldn't help it!" Rainbow whispered back. "When you've gotta, you've gotta… Uh-oh. I've gotta again.

"GRAB HER!" Rainbow called out. They pounced on Rainbow and tied a handkerchief around his nose, which served to muffle his sneeze.

"Thanks." Sunset said.

"We've gotta keep quiet." Rainbow said. "We could all end up messing with whatever's in here if we're not careful."

They then heard an odd sound from upstairs.

"Whatever's in here is up there." Twilight said.

"In the bedrooms." Applejack said.

"Uh-oh." Pinkie exclaimed.

"Someone's gotta go up and chase whatever's up there down." Twilight said.

They all nodded their heads, and six of them looked at Pinkie as he looked behind him before remembering that there were only seven of them.

"Me?" Pinkie asked in a squeaky whisper.

Pinkie tried to creep off before she was grabbed by Rainbow and Sunset. They then pulled him in front of Twilight as she held up a flash light that she'd turned on and was shaking as bad as Pinkie.

"Here." Twilight said nervously. "Take it. Don't be nervous."

Twilight then mustered her own courage and put the flash light in Pinkie's hand and shoved her up the stairs. At the landed outside of the bedrooms, Pinkie turned around to look at the others several steps below her.

"Don't be afraid." Twilight said. "We're right behind you."

"Yeah." They all said. "Right behind you."

"Mm." Pinkie said nervously as she walked up and entered the bed room. In the light of the flash light, Pinkie saw something groan sleepily as it stretched underneath several sheets.

"AHHHHH!" Pinkie called out and ran down the stairs.

"Here it comes!" Rainbow said as he got an attack ready before they were all bowled over by something, and they ran straight out of the door. Pinkie then tried to follow, but the door wouldn't open.

"It's trying to get out!" Twilight screamed!

"Don't let it out!" Rainbow said calmly.

"Hold it shut!" Sunset added.

This added greatly to Pinkie's fears that the creature and woken up. She didn't dare look behind her and tried harder to open the door until the door knob broke off, and Pinkie fell into several pots and pans that landed all over her. Now sure that the creature had woken up, she ran for her life right out the door. This was the scariest night of her life!

()()()()()

Outside the cottage, everyone waited in the trees for the creature, whatever it was, to attack. They pounced down on what appeared to be some kind of metal creature and kept attacking until Twilight realized something.

"Hold on girls!" Twilight shouted. "It's only Pinkie."

"Yeah, it's only-D'oh!" Pinkie exclaimed as Rainbow hit her again with his stick. "What was that for?!"

"Scaring me for no good reason!" Rainbow retorted.

"Did you see it?" Sunset asked?

"Yeah!" Pinkie said panting.

"How big is it?" Applejack asked.

"Huge!"

"What was it?" Rainbow asked.

"A dragon!" Pinkie said as the creature was large enough to be.

"Has it got horns?" Sunset asked.

"Yeah!"

"Was it breathing fire?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah!" Pinkie said.

"Was it drooling?" Trixie asked.

"Yeah!" Pinkie said.

"Stop saying yeah and tell us what it was doing!" Rainbow shouted.

"It was sleeping." Pinkie said.

"A monster's asleep in our beds?!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Let's get it while it's sleeping." Rainbow proposed.

"Good idea." Applejack said.

"Let's go!" Sunset proclaimed and they went off.

They made it back to the bedroom and opened the door to see the thing yawning again, and it was covering Sunset, Applejack, and Pinkie's beds.

"Sweet Celestia!" Sunset exclaimed.

"Heaven above!" Applejack added.

"What a monster." Sunset said.

"No kidding." Trixie replied. "It's covering three beds."

"Let's get it before it wakes up!" Twilight whispered.

"Which end do we get?" Applejack asked, but everyone shushed her.

They then surrounded the creature and prepared to fight when Twilight lifted the sheet, and they all stopped.

It wasn't a monster. It was a very lovely girl. With a pink mane and yellow coat.

"Whoa!" Twilight exclaimed.

"What is it?" Applejack asked.

"It's a girl." Twilight said.

"She's really pretty." Sunset said.

"She looks like an angel." Trixie said.

"Angel?" Rainbow said. "She's a stranger. What would someone like her be doing here?"

"Shh!" Twilight said. "You'll wake her up."

"Let her wake up then." Rainbow said. "She's trespassing."

"Hey, she's moving!" Sunset said nervously.

"She's waking up!" Applejack said.

"What do we do?!" Sunset asked.

"Hide!" Twilight said, and they ducked down as the girl yawned and got up.

()()()()()

"Oh my…" Fluttershy said with a yawn as she got up. "Just what I needed. I wonder if the children are-"

Fluttershy then looked down and gasped in pleasant surprise as she saw the children.

"Oh you're so cute." Fluttershy said like a babysitter. The children then stood up. "How are you?" Fluttershy asked, but none of them answered. "I said 'How are you?'"

"How are we what?" Said a blue Pegasus filly with a rainbow mane.

"Oh you can talk!" Fluttershy said excitedly. "I'm so glad!"

"Now do not tell me who you are, let me guess." Fluttershy said. "Now you…" She said as she looked at a purple unicorn with an indigo mane with a pink stripe in it. "You're… Twilight."

"Oh, yes." Twilight said with a nervous smile.

Fluttershy then looked at a blue unicorn with a white mane.

"You are Trixie." Fluttershy said.

"Y-yeah." Trixie said as he blushed.

"And you…" Fluttershy said as she looked at a white unicorn with a purple mane. "You're… Rarity?"

"How'd you guess?" Rarity asked.

"I just kinda took a stab at it." Fluttershy said. She then turned to a yellow unicorn with red and yellow mane. "And you're Sunset."

"Yes." Sunset said as she smirked.

"And you're…" Fluttershy said as she turned to an orange earth pony with a yellow mane and a cowboy hat.

"Applejack, ma'am." Applejack said. "And this here's Pinkie."

"Hi!" Pinkie said eagerly.

"Don't worry, she's kinda excitable." Applejack explained.

"Oh, that's fine." Fluttershy said as she smiled, and Pinkie smiled nervously as well. She then turned to the last girl. She groans moodily.

"Oh…" Fluttershy said deepening her voice to try and get the girl to smile. "You must be Rainbow."

"She's good at this." Twilight said.

"We know who we are." Rainbow said shortly. "What we don't know is who _you_ are and what _you're_ doing here."

"Oh how silly of me." Fluttershy said as she blushed. "I am Nomi Sunrider."

"Fluttershy?!" Everyone asked. "The princess?!"

"Yeah." Fluttershy said with a smile.

"Well your highness." Twilight said respectively. "We're honored hosts. We're… Uh…"

"Mad as hornets!" Rainbow interrupted.

"Mad as hornets!" Twilight said before shaking his head.

"Wait, no we're not." Twilight said. "Ah, what was I saying?!"

"Nothing, just sputtering like an idiot as usual!" Rainbow said.

"Hey who's sputtering like an idiot?!" Twilight asked angrily.

"That's enough you two." Sunset said as she rushed between the two.

"I say we tell her to get out." Rainbow said.

"Please don't send me away." Fluttershy pleaded. "If you do, she'll kill me."

"Kill you?" Sunset asked.

"Who?" Twilight asked.

"My step-mother Queen Suri Polomare." Fluttershy stated.

"Suri?!" Everyone asked.

"She's wicked!" Trixie said.

"She's bad!" Applejack agreed.

"She's fierce!" Sunset added.

"She's a vain and power-hungry witch." Rainbow said calmly. "I'm warning all of you. If Suri finds out she's here, she'll tear the whole place apart just because of Nomi being here."

"But she doesn't even know where I am." Fluttershy said.

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow asked. "Well from all the stories I've heard, she has enough black magic to easily figure out where someone is, and it doesn't take magic to make someone invisible. For all we know she's in this room right now."

* * *

"Sweet Celestia!" Pinkie said before she looked in Applejack's hat for Suri, and Applejack rolled her eyes.

"Oh she'd never find me here." Fluttershy said cheerfully. "And if you let me stay, I'll do the cleaning for you. I can wash, sow, sweep, cook-"

"COOK?!" Everyone said at the same time as they were tired of Rainbow and Applejack buying them cereal from some town.

"Can you make apple dumplings?" Twilight asked.

"Yes." Fluttershy said. "And plum pudding, and goose berry pie-"

"GOOSE BERRY PIE?!" Everyone called out. "Hooray! She stays!"

Rainbow rubbed his temples. She didn't think any good would come out of this.

Well Rainbow's trusting, isn't he?


	6. Washing Up Before Supper

Chapter 6: Washing Up Before Supper

All the talk about cooking reminded Fluttershy about the pot she'd put on the stove. She flew down and opened it up as she took a sip of what she was making.

The seven children then walked out and sniffed.

"SOUP!" They called out and rushed down. They then sat down and fought over the bread, except Pinkie, who was fighting to try and get a seat.

"Uh-uh-uh." Fluttershy said, before anyone could have a bite. "Wait a moment. Supper's not quite ready yet, so you'll have just enough time to wash."

"Wash?" Everyone asked. They'd only washed about once a week as that seemed enough.

"I knew there was a catch." Rainbow Dash muttered.

"Why do we have to wash?" Trixie asked the gang in low voices, so Fluttershy wouldn't hear.

"We're not going anywhere." Rarity said.

"It's not New Year or Christmas." Twilight agreed.

"Oh, have you washed already?" Fluttershy asked.

"Uh… Yes." Twilight said.

"Okay, when?" Fluttershy asked with her hooves on her hips.

"When?" Twilight asked. "When? Um… Last week, no month, no I mean… Recently."

"Yes." They all said. "Recently."

"Oh, recently." Fluttershy said with a coy smile. "Then let me see your hooves."

They all gulped and kept their hooves turned away.

"Let me see your hooves." Fluttershy said firmly as if she was their mother.

Twilight sighed and showed fairly dirty hooves.

"Why Twilight." Fluttershy said. "I'm surprised at you."

"Ah… Well…" Twilight said nervously.

"Come on, let's see them." Fluttershy said, and Trixie showed fairly dirty hooves.

"Oh Trixie." Fluttershy sighed. "And you, Sunset?"

Sunset then showed her hooves to be among the dirtiest ones so far.

"Tch, tch, tch." Fluttershy said.

Before she got to her, Applejack rubbed her hooves against her back legs and showed them to her, sure that it would work.

"It's worse than I thought." Fluttershy said as she looked at Applejack's _extra_ dirty hooves.

Pinkie eagerly showed her his hooves, and they were, maybe the cleanest, but still very dirty.

Rarity then showed her hooves, and for someone who spent most of their day pulling a cart, it was hard to believe how dirty they'd gotten.

"How shocking!" Fluttershy exclaimed before Rarity looked down and hid her hooves again. "This'll never do. Now you kids go straight outside and wash, or you will not get a bite to eat."

"Let's go." Twilight said dejectedly.

Everyone except Rainbow Dash left, with Pinkie slamming into wall because he was looking more at Fluttershy.

"Well," Fluttershy asked. "Aren't you going to wash?"

Rainbow Dash just turned her head away. Who did she think she was, his mother? She was only a few years older than her.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Fluttershy asked with a smile, and Rainbow Dash just walked out to get away from her for a few minutes.

She then ended up slamming her face into a door.

"Oh, did you hurt yourself?" Fluttershy asked, but Rainbow Dash just kept walking until she was out of the house. "Jerk!" She muttered.

()()()()()

"Okay guys, courage." Twilight said. "Don't be nervous."

"Are we really gonna do this?" Trixie asked.

"Well, it'll please Fluttershy." Twilight said.

"I'm sure she has our best interests at heart." Applejack said.

"Me too." Everyone else agreed.

"I'm telling you guys," Rainbow Dash said. "Give that girl an inch, and she'll walk all over you."

"Ah, don't listen to that sour puss." Twilight said dismissively. "Come on, girls."

"How hard should we scrub?" Sunset asked.

"Will our fingers shrink?" Rarity asked with a yawn.

"Should we get in the tub?" Pinkie asked.

"Should we wash where it doesn't show?" Trixie asked.

"Now don't get excited, here we go." Twilight explained.

 _Step up to the tub._

 _It's not a disgrace._

 _Just pull up your sleeves,_

 _And get 'em in place._

 _Then scoop up the water,_

 _And rub it on your face,_

 _And go, blurb, blurb, blurb!_

Twilight went first to demonstrate, and everyone else did as he did.

 _Pick up the soap,_

 _Now don't try to bluff._

 _Work up a lather,_

 _And when you get enough,_

 _Get a handful of water._

 _You snout and you snout,_

 _And so, blurb, blurb, blurb._

 _Get doused and soused._

 _Rub and scrub._

 _Splutter and splash all over the tub._

 _You may be cold and wet when you're done,_

 _But you've gotta admit, it's gonna be fun._

A fly came around Rarity and she tricked it into going onto the soap where it ended up looking like Santa clause because of the suds.

 _So splash with all your might._

 _It's not any trick._

 _As soon as you're through,_

 _You'll feel mighty slick._

" _You bunch of nanny goats make me sick going, blurb, blurb, blurb!"_ Rainbow Dash stated.

They then washed up their hair after washing their hooves and faces as they figured they should do it right, but they'd save a proper bath for tomorrow evening.

"Next thing you know, she'll be having us dress up in sailor outfits or pink dresses, as the case may be, and squirt us all with that perfume stuff." Rainbow Dash said.

"I don't mind wearing pink." Rarity said.

"Oh don't listen ta Rainbow Dash." Applejack said. "She's just bein' a big grump."

Pinkie then spat out all the water she'd accidentally swallowed.

"A nice group of water-lilies you girls turned out to be." Rainbow Dash said with a smirk as Twilight looked up. "I'd like to see anybody make me wash if I didn't wanna."

Twilight then smiled mischievously as she whispered to the others. They all smiled and walked up to Rainbow Dash as they whistled.

"GET HER!" Twilight shouted out, and they all held Rainbow Dash up as Applejack, Applejack, Trixie, and Twilight held his limbs, so he couldn't get away.

"Hey let me go!" Rainbow Dash called out.

"Pinkie, set the soap." Twilight said.

"Okay!" Pinkie said as she ran off. She grabbed the soap and was about to bring it when it slipped out of her hand, and she tried to catch it before it knocked her in the head. She then tried to pounce on it, but it just slipped and went into her mouth. "Oh nuts!" Pinkie called out. "And I didn't even say anything bad!"

She then hiccupped as several soap bubbles popped up.

Meanwhile, everyone else was giving Rainbow Dash a nice hooves and face washing.

 _Now scrub good and hard._

 _It can't be denied,_

 _That he'll look might cool,_

 _As soon as he's dried._

 _With a scrap and a howl,_

 _And a blurb, blurb, blurb!_

Rainbow Dash was then let out as everyone laughed.

"She smells like a petunia." Sunset said with a laugh that was shared with everyone else.

"Ya sure look cute, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack teased.

"Oh, you're all gonna pay for this!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Supper!" Fluttershy called out from the house.

"Supper!" They all called out and ran off, leaving Rainbow Dash woozy by the tub.

"Eh." Rainbow Dash said after a while and walked in.

()()()()()

Suri walked back to the mirror that very night as Gabby gave her the box with her heart in it.

"Oh mirror, mirror, on the wall, who _now_ is the fairest one of all?" Suri asked with a smug smile.

"Far off on the town Ponyville, beyond the Seventh Fall, in the cottage of the seven fillies dwells Fluttershy. The fairest one of all." Sombra said.

"Fluttershy's dead in a forest." Suri said with a smirk. "The griffon Gabby had brought me proof." Suri opened the box and showed it to the mirror. "Behold, her heart."

"Fluttershy still lives, the fairest in the land." Sombra insisted. "It's the heart of a pig you hold in your hands."

"The heart of a pig?!" Suri shouted as she threw the box down. "That fool tricked me!"

Suri then walked down a secret flight of stairs to her lab as her apprentice, Coco waited.

"Is something wrong, ma'am?" Coco asked.

"Shut up!" Suri said. "That sentimental fool gave me the heart of a pig instead of Fluttershy's! Looks like if I want someone killed around here, I'll have to do it myself! I'll go to the brats' cottage in such a perfect disguise that no one will ever suspect it's me."

"How perfect?" Coco asked.

"A potion." Suri said as she took a book labeled _Disguises_. "A potion to turn my beauty into a grimace. To change my queenly array into a peddler's cloak."

Suri found a perfect little recipe. It also had a 72 hour limit, which would give her time to make a perfect way to kill Fluttershy, and she'd just turn back to her beautiful self afterwards.

"Mummy dust, to make me old." Suri said as she grabbed said dust from a drawer. "To shroud my clothes, the black of night."

Suri put in the mummy dust and added a pitch black liquid that easily became the dominant color.

"To age my voice, an old hag's cackle." Suri said as she turned on a burner underneath a phial that held a red liquid. After it had been turned on, a bit of the red liquid shot up and laughed like an old crone and entered the goblet Suri had put the potion into. This turned the potion red.

"To whiten my hair, a scream of fright!" Suri turned the knob on a faucet, and a white substance poured out as a scream echoed throughout the chamber, and the potion was now a venomous green.

"A blast of wind to fan my age!" As Suri held the goblet to the window and wind suddenly blew through it, and over the goblet. "And a thunderbolt to mix it well!"

As if on cue, a thunderbolt sounded as the potion rippled and bubbled.

"Now…" Suri said calmly. "Begin thy magic spell."

Suri then consumed the concoction and gasped. The room appeared to be spinning, she saw her mane flying around her face and glimpsed it turning white as salt.

"My hooves!" Suri called out as she looked at her hooves and saw them become incredibly thin. Her clothes also turned into a black musty cloak, and her very coat turned incredibly white.

Suri sighed, hoping for the seventy-two hours to pass quickly and heard her own sigh.

"My voice." She croaked. Her voice had become high and raspy. "My voice…"

Suri laughed. The potion had worked. She looked into a mirror and saw an old hag with bulging green eyes and a pointed muzzle with a large wart on it.

"Yes!" Suri called out. "A perfect disguise!"

Suri turned to Coco who backed into a wall.

"MOMMY!" Coco called out.

"And now…" Suri said as she pulled out a book on death potions. "A special sort of death for one so fair."

"AH!" She called out very soon. "A poisoned apple. Laced with the draught of the sleeping death."

"Huh?" Coco asked.

"'One taste of the poisoned apple, and the victim's eyes will close forever in the sleeping death…'" Suri said as she looked up and smirked wickedly. Nightmare Moon had nothing on her.


	7. Someday My Prince Will Come

Chapter Seven: Someday My Prince Will Come

That night, after dinner, which even Rainbow Dash had to admit was delicious, the kids showed Fluttershy what they did after coming home from mines, have fun. They each played an instrument they did best with and simply sung nonsense, with Rainbow Dash playing the organ that Fluttershy saw earlier.

Applejack then walked up and smiled.

" _I like to dance and tap my feat, but they won't keep in rhythm_." She sang. " _You see I washed them both today, and can't do a thing with them._ "

Everyone then chuckled at the joke and sang out,

 _Oh hum,da-doo-lee-dum!_

 _The words don't mean a thing!_

 _Isn't this a silly song for anyone to sing?_

Pinkie then used several pots and pans as drums and did a nice trick where she pounded on the drums before hitting a cymbal with a twirl of the stick. Trixie then stood up.

"I…" She began. "Uh…"

Rainbow Dash then blew a loud note, and that snapped Trixie to the alert.

" _I chased a pole cat up a tree._ " Trixie said. " _Way out upon a limb, and when he got the best of me, I got the worst of him._ "

 _Oh hum, da-doo-lee-dum!_

 _The words don't mean a thing!_

 _Isn't this a silly song for anyone to sing?_

As the music continued, Rarity was pestered by that fly again.

"Hey, go away!" She said.

The fly then bothered Pinkie who ended up quickening the beat in her effort to get the fly. She only ended up panting as the fly landed on Rarity's nose. She then made to swat it as Pinkie gave her a cymbal, but she only succeeded in giving herself a big headache.

"Why you…" Rarity said angrily, and Pinkie ended up with a very bad headache.

Fluttershy then danced with each of the kids, except Rainbow Dash in turn.

Pinkie then got on top of Sunset with a long cloak.

"Hey watch it!" Sunset said. "Don't tickle my nose!"

Pinkie made sure to keep her hooves still as he put the cloak over the two, with Pinkie as the arms and legs and Sunset as the legs. They then walked up to Fluttershy, and she danced around a little, with Pinkie only nearly falling off once before she was pulled back up by Sunset.

The dance went on and everyone had a great time until they heard a sneeze building up from underneath Pinkie's hooves.

"Uh-oh." Pinkie said.

"Duck and cover!" Rainbow Dash called out, and everyone hid behind the organ.

"Mommy." Pinkie squeaked as Sunset sneezed, and Pinkie flew up into the ceiling and dropped down, using her tail to break his fall.

Everyone laughed, and Fluttershy sat down.

"That was fun." Fluttershy said with a smile.

"Now it's your turn to do something." Applejack said.

"What should I do?" Fluttershy asked.

"Tell us a story." Rarity said.

"Yes, tell us a story!" The others called out.

"A true story!" Trixie said.

"A love story!" Applejack said.

"Well…" Fluttershy said before she remembered the day she met Bulk. "Once there was a princess."

"Was the princess you?" Twilight asked.

"And she fell in love." Fluttershy said with a nod.

"Was it hard to do?" Sunset asked.

"It was very easy." Fluttershy said with a laugh. "Anyone could see that the prince was charming. The only one for me."

"Was he strong and handsome?" Twilight asked puffing out his chest.

"Was he big and tall?" Sunset asked as he flew up.

"There's nobody like him anywhere at all." Fluttershy said dreamily.

"Did he say he loved you?" Trixie asked.

"Did he steal a kiss?" Applejack asked.

" _He was so romantic, I could not resist._ " Fluttershy sang out.

Everyone except Rainbow Dash then sat down as Rainbow Dash leaned against a corner.

 _Someday, my prince will come._

 _Someday, we'll meet again._

 _And away to his castle we'll go,_

 _To be happy forever, I know._

"Hmph." Rainbow Dash muttered. "Mush."

Applejack then managed to pull herself away from the story and pulled Rainbow Dash over to Fluttershy.

 _Someday when spring is here,_

 _We'll find our love anew._

Rarity was beginning to fall to sleep, just as if she was listening to a lullaby, even though she tried to resist it.

 _And the birds will sing,_

 _And wedding bells will ring,_

 _Someday when my dreams come true…_

Everyone then sighed as a clock began to chime eleven.

"Oh look at the time." Fluttershy said. "It must be way past all of our bedtimes."

"But I'm not sleepy…" Rarity said as she yawned.

"Oh yes you are." Fluttershy said as she picked Rarity up.

"No I'm not." Rarity said as she made another yawn.

"Now, all of you, go to your room." Fluttershy said kindly.

"Wait a second." Twilight said. "We can pretty much sleep anywhere. The princess will sleep in our room tonight."

"But where will you be sleeping?" Fluttershy asked.

"Oh, we'll be fine down here." Twilight said.

"In a pig's eye." Rainbow Dash muttered.

"Hey, stop that!" Twilight said. "Don't worry. We'll be comfortable down here. Won't we, guys?"

"Oh yeah." They all said as Pinkie grabbed a pillow and prepared to go to sleep on a bench.

"Don't worry about us." Applejack said. "We'll be alright."

"Go right on up." Twilight said.

"Well…" Fluttershy said. "If you insist. Good night."

"Good night princess." The children said.

"Are you sure you'll be comfortable?" Fluttershy.

"We'll be fine." Sunset said.

"Well, have pleasant dreams then." Fluttershy said as she went inside.

Once Fluttershy closed the door, they all headed for the pillow.

Unfortunately, it ended up ripping because everyone had dived at it. Pinkie shrugged and went to sleep on the bench.

()()()()()

In the children's room, Fluttershy was saying her evening prayers.

"Bless Gabby for saving my life, and please help my sister overcome her anger." Fluttershy prayed. "Bless the seven little children who have been so kind to me, and may all my dreams come true. Also, please help Rainbow Dash find it in her heart to like me. Amen."

Fluttershy then went to sleep on the same three beds she had taken her nap in.

()()()()()

"Adults!" Rainbow Dash said as she tried to get herself comfortable in the pot that Fluttershy's soup had been before he felt something poking in his back and pulled out the ladle. "This has been a fine kettle of fish."

She tossed the ladle onto the floor and began to go to sleep.

Trixie was sleeping near a drawer. Applejack was sleeping on top of the drawer. Twilight was sleeping in the sink, getting a small drop of water in her mouth too. Sunset was sleeping on top of Pinkie, but she woke up when Pinkie was whimpering like a dog he before Sunset poked her in the hind leg, and she went back to sleeping peacefully.

Rainbow Dash went back to sleep as she was used to their snores by now, but the only thing he wasn't used to was someone whimpering, and Rarity did just that. She was fretting like a toddler as she squirmed in bed. Rainbow Dash easily knew what had happened. Rarity's stuffed rabbit, Bunny, was upstairs in the bed room. Normally, if Rarity didn't have Bunny, Rainbow Dash or Applejack would go and get it for her, but Applejack was out like a light, and Rainbow Dash didn't feel like looking for a stuffed rabbit up in the bed room with Fluttershy there, so she just got out of the pot, walked up to Pinkie and pulled her tail out from under her before moving Rarity to Pinkie. Rainbow Dash then put it in Rarity's arms, as she slept contentedly while Rarity petted Pinkie's tail.

Finally with some variation of peace and quiet by now, Rainbow Dash hopped back into the pot and fell asleep.

()()()()()

Meanwhile, the old hag that would be Suri for the next few days dipped an apple into a potion she had spent several hours making.

"Dip the apple in the brew." Suri chanted. "Let the sleeping death seep through."

She then picked the apple up, and it had turned black with the green potion clinging to it dripped away until it made a skull image.

"Yes!" Suri said wickedly. "Under skin, a symbol of what lies within. Now turn red to tempt Fluttershy and make her hunger for what's in thee."

Suri then smirked and looked at the now beautifully red apple in her hand, sort of an opposite of her. Something ugly disguised as something delicious.

Suri chuckled and got a mischievous look on her artificially aged face.

"Have a bit, sweetie!" Suri said as she shoved the apple into Coco's face.

"BWAH!" Coco said as he backed away.

"Oh, you know it's not for you." Suri said as she tickled Coco's chin with her skeletal hoof. "It's for Fluttershy. When she breaks the tender skin to taste this apple, her breast will still, her blood congeal, and I'll be the fairest in the land!"

"As soon as that disguise wears off." Coco said before Suri starred her down.

"Wait a minute." Suri said as a sudden thought crossed her mind. "There may be an antidote. Nothing can be over-looked!"

Suri looked at her book again and found what she was looking for.

"Here it is!" Suri said. "'The victim of the sleeping death can be revived only by love's first kiss.' 'Love's first kiss'? Suri said with a sneer before closing the book. "No fear of that. Those brats will think she's just dead. She'll end up buried alive!"

She then walked down a secret stairway.

"Sweet Celestia, what's that lady's problem?!" Coco asked as the door closed.

()()()()()

Suri then made her way to a secret ship as she looked at a long dead captive of the dungeon that appeared to be reaching for water.

"Thirsty?" Suri asked the skeleton that was left of the prisoner. "Have a drink!"

Suri then kicked the jug, and the skeleton smashed to pieces. She then got onto the ship and rested as she thought about what she would do once Fluttershy was out of the way. Maybe she'd seduce that little beau Fluttershy met just to spite her soon to be buried alive step-daughter.

In a few days, Suri landed on Earth and saw the ruined husk of the boar Gabby had killed to trick Suri. She'd deal with the griffin and his family after this. She only had about five hours left before the disguise wore off, and she knew Fluttershy would never _accept_ an apple from _her_.

* * *

Aw… Rainbow Dash has a heart.

Rainbow Dash: Shut up!


	8. The Wishing Apple

Chapter Eight: The Wishing Apple

A few days later, the kids left to dig up more diamonds. The last couple of days had been very nice and peaceful. Rainbow Dash had consented to teaching Fluttershy how to play the organ, Sunset had finally managed to get over her hay fever and regain control over herself, and Rarity had become much more open to Fluttershy.

Today, they all prepared to leave as they needed some more diamonds for money.

"Now don't forget Fluttershy," Twilight had said. "Suri's sly and full of witchcraft, so beware of strangers."

"Don't worry." Fluttershy said with a smile. "I'll be alright."

Fluttershy then kissed Twilight on the head.

"See you tonight, and remember to wash up before dinner." Fluttershy said.

"Uh… Yes…" Twilight gasped with a nervous smile. "Come on, girls."

"I hope you'll be really careful." Trixie said. "Why if anything happened-"

Fluttershy then kissed her on the head, and she blushed so much, you'd think she had more blood than she actually did.

"Good-bye." Fluttershy said cheerfully.

"Ah, gee!" Trixie said as he walked off.

"That is disgusting." Rainbow Dash muttered from the back of the line.

"And be sure to watch out." Sunset said as he left, and Fluttershy kissed him. "Thank you."

Pinkie later came up and tugged on Fluttershy's tail as she showed her forehead. Fluttershy smiled kindly and kissed her forehead. She then left and came back just a few moments later.

"Oh alright." Fluttershy said with a chuckle as she kissed her on the head. "But that's the last-"

Pinkie then ran off like a cheetah and came back.

"Oh, run along." Fluttershy said with a chuckle, and Pinkie went off.

"Bye." Rarity said as she was putting _The Magician's Nephew_ in her back. "Now remember, you promised we could talk about this book with Twilight when we get home."

"Yes, I remember." Fluttershy said before kissing Rarity on the cheek and she walked off.

Rainbow Dash pulled up some stray bangs before heading to the door.

Applejack then received a kiss on the cheek and walked off as she helped Rarity along.

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's off to work we go._

Rainbow Dash then coughed to let Fluttershy know he was there.

"Now I'm warning you." Rainbow Dash said as she fidgeted around. "Don't let anyone or _anything_ in this house unless you know them like the back of your hoof."

"Why Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said with a smile. "You do care."

Fluttershy then kissed Rainbow Dash on the forehead, and she walked off before she stopped and smiled a little. It was just like what her mom had done before she passed away. She shook her head and walked off.

()()()()()

Suri walked slowly to the cottage as she chuckled to herself. Only an hour left, and Fluttershy was an easy five minutes' walk away.

"Those little brats won't be at home." Suri chuckled evilly. "And she'll be on her own. With a harmless old peddler mare." She chuckled again. "A _harmless_ old peasant mare."

()()()()()

Fluttershy decided to use this time to make some goose-berry pies for the children as a surprise and began making the last one after putting the other six on the table.

 _Someday my prince will come._

 _Someday we'll meet again._

 _And away to his castle we'll go._

 _To be happy forever I know._

She then placed the top of the pie on the last one and cut off the excess with a small knife. After that, she put the crust she cut off and put it on top of the pie, so that it spelled, "Rainbow Dash".

 _Someday, when Spring is near,_

 _We'll find our love anew,_

 _And the birds will sing,_

 _And wedding bells will ring._

 _Someday, when my dreams come true…_

Fluttershy then looked up and gasped as she saw an old mare with a long hooked nose, greasy white hair, and bulging green eyes. Out of her black cloak, Fluttershy saw four thin and wrinkled hooves.

"All alone my dear?" The old mare asked in a high raspy voice that seemed slightly familiar to Fluttershy.

"Uh…" Fluttershy said nervously. "Well yes I am."

"What?" The mare said in surprise. "But you're only a girl, you can't be older than sixteen. Aren't either of your parents or any little brothers or sisters around?"

"Well, my parents died when I was still a little girl." Fluttershy said. "But the children are away for a little while."

"Hmm…" The old woman said. "Making pies?"

"Yes, goose-berry." Fluttershy said. "They're the children's favorite."

"Then they haven't tried apple pies." Suri said with a smile. "They can make any little child's mouth water. Made from nice apples, like these."

The old mare picked up an apple that was so beautifully red that Fluttershy couldn't help staring at it.

"They look delicious." Fluttershy said.

"Yes, but wait until you taste it." The old mare said sweetly. "Would you like to try one? Go on… Go on and have a bite."

Before Fluttershy could grab the apple, the birds began attacking the poor old woman.

"Hey, you leave her alone!" Fluttershy said as she threw a flare of Pinkie's into the air to frighten them off. "You should be ashamed of yourselves for attacking a poor old helpless lady like that!"

The mare made sure the apple was still alright, and Fluttershy put one of her hooves on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Fluttershy asked.

"Oh, my heart!" The mare said as she clutched her chest. "My poor heart. Get me into the house and give me a drink of water."

"Oh, of course." Fluttershy said as she helped the old woman inside.

()()()()()

The animals looked into the window and saw Fluttershy go off to get the old hag some water. They could tell that something wasn't quite right about her, and they saw her look at the apple and then at Fluttershy, and they knew something terrible would happen if she ate it. They then ran off towards a diamond mine where they knew the children were.

()()()()()

The children arrived at the mine and were about to get to work. They began to push a small track car full of any digging equipment they'd need, and Pinkie accidentally shoved Rarity inside.

"Ouch!" Rarity said.

"Sorry." Pinkie said meekly.

Suddenly, several animals arrived and began pulling at their tails and hair like there was no tomorrow.

"Get out of here!" Rainbow Dash said as she swatted some birds away.

"Hey, let go!" Pinkie shouted as several birds were beginning to pull her away.

"What's going on here?!" Twilight shouted as a doe was shoving Twilight away from the mine.

"They've gone crazy!" Trixie called out.

"No kidding." Sunset said as she knocked away the birds and squirrels that were pulling on her mane and hooves, but they came right back.

()()()()()

Fluttershy had given the lady a drink of water, and she smiled kindly like a grandmother… Or at least how Fluttershy imagined grandmothers smiled as she never saw one.

"And because you've been so good to dear old Granny," the lady said kindly. "I'll let you in on a secret. This is no ordinary apple. It's a magic wishing apple."

"A wishing apple?" Fluttershy asked in awe.

"Yes." The lady said. "One bite, and all your dreams come true."

"Really?" Fluttershy asked as she thought of Andur and how she could finally be with him.

"Yes dearie." The lady said. "Now make a wish and take a bite."

()()()()()

"Hey go away!" Applejack shouted as a dear was holding him in his antlers and shoving him forward. "What's wrong with them?!"

"I don't know, but they're not acting like this for nothing." Rainbow Dash said as he shoved away several birds that nearly pulled his robe off.

"Uh-oh." Rarity said as she finally managed to get herself out of the car. "What is that mean queen, Suri's got Fluttershy?"

"Suri?!" They all called out in alarm. "Fluttershy!"

"Suri will kill her!" Rainbow Dash called out in alarm. "We've gotta save her!"

"Yeah, we've gotta save her!" Twilight shouted.

"She'll kill her!" Sunset shouted.

"What do we do?!" Applejack asked.

"We go back to the house and save her!" Rainbow Dash said, and Sunset, Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight flew off as Rainbow Dash and Trixie rode on the stag and the doe while Pinkie was forced to use a makeshift skateboard.

()()()()()

"There must be something your heart desires." The lady said. "Maybe someone you love?"

"Well, yes." Fluttershy said as she blushed.

"I thought so." The lady said with a laugh. "Old Granny knows a young girl's heart. Now take the apple dearie and make your wish."

"I wish…" Fluttershy began.

"That's it." The lady said. "Go on. Don't be afraid."

()()()()()

Getting to the cottage proved much more difficult than they thought, especially for the ponies who were flying as their wings hit low hanging branches, and twice, Pinkie nearly fell to her death when she ran into a large gorge, but managed to survive by grabbing a vine and using it to swing the other side.

()()()()()

"And that he'll carry me away to his home, and we'll live happily ever after." Fluttershy said with a smile.

"Excellent wish my dear." Granny said. "Now take a bite."

()()()()()

The children hurried on as fast as they could.

()()()()()

"Don't let the wish grow cold." Suri said as all _her_ dreams were about to come true.

Fluttershy bit into the apple, and she smiled for a minute before staggering and holding her head.

"Oh… I feel strange." Fluttershy said weakly.

"Her breath will still." Suri said with a wicked smile as her hooves began to become fuller and darker. "Her blood congeal."

Fluttershy fell to the ground asleep, but to all but the most observant, dead, and at that moment, the disguise wore off, and Suri was her lovely self again.

"NOW I'LL BE FAIREST IN THE LAND!" Suri called out with wicked glee.

* * *

Oh dear…


	9. Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

Chapter Nine: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

Suri walked out as a storm quickly started. She was still laughing to herself when she saw seven children in odd outfits coming this way.

"And of course, something has to happen to complicate things." Suri said and she flew off to a place where she could have more room to fight and eventually landed at the peak of a mountain.

The children followed after her, and she put her hand by a boulder.

"Let's see how badly I can crush their bones." Suri said with a smirk, and she pushed the boulder.

"Look out!" A blue pegasus filly called out. As the boulder came at them, a yellow unicorn filly blasted it to pieces.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Suri said angrily. She then moved aside as a bolt of lightning broke the ledge she was standing on and illuminated her face. "You know, my ex-husband didn't believe in spankings, but I'm more of a fan of physical punishments. They really drive the message home."

Suri then fired a telekinetic blast from her hooves.

"Hide!" The blue pegasus filly called out, and all seven children hid behind a wall.

"Come on out, kiddies." Suri said with a smirk. "We're not playing hide-and-seek you know."

()()()()()

Rainbow Dash gathered everyone around.

"Okay, our only chance to stop her is to surround her." Rainbow Dash explained. "Sunset, you, Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity fly up, and cover her from behind… Metaphorically, anyway. Trixie, Pinkie, and I attack from the front."

"Yeah!" Twilight said.

"Let's go." Applejack said calmly, and they split up as the ground unit ran up and dodged Suri's attacks while Trixie and Rainbow Dash attacked with magic and rocks. Suri defended herself very well when the kids flew up on from Twilight's levitation, and Sunset tapped her shoulder.

"What?!" Suri asked, and Sunset kicked her in the face. "Why you little-!"

"Sunset, look out!" Applejack said as she tied Suri up with some vines she found, and Rainbow Dash wrapped her cloak around her eyes.

"Hey, I can't see!" Suri said.

"That's the point." Rainbow Dash said. "And I have a nearby friend who can give you your just deserts."

They took the newly bound-up Suri to an imposing house as Rainbow Dash knocked, and Luna, the princess of the night, came out.

"What?" Luna asked.

"Luna, this lady killed Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash explained. "Sunset saw her body as we chased after her."

"Hmm…" Luna said. "I've heard a great deal about you, Suri. I've heard how vain and arrogant you are, and I've also heard of your jealousy of your daughter."

"Let me go!" Suri called out as she turned her head in the direction of Luna.

"Very well." Luna said. "But only after your punishment for your crime starts."

Luna picked Suri up as easily as if she was a new born baby. She then chanted, and Suri disappeared.

"What did you do to her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I sent her to limbo for a few weeks for some _just deserts_." Luna said.

"Eh?" Pinkie asked.

"Come on…" Sunset said. "We better… We better pay our respects to Fluttershy."

Everyone looked down and walked off.

()()()()()

Suri found herself in a blue infinite limbo. She looked around when she looked at a mirror.

Her face looked normal, then slowly and surely her hair fell out, her face was full of wrinkles, her muzzle grew long, and she seemed to have aged as everyone she ever saw recoiled at the sight of her.

"No!" She called out when suddenly, she returned to normal, but everyone still acted like she was as they just saw her, much to Suri's confusion. She looked around, trying to figure out what had happened.

Luna had put her in a universe where everyone would treat her as she was on the inside until she learned to be compassionate to people, and she would be in there for a long, long while.

* * *

Yeah… I like Suri too much to kill her off. I just see so much good she could do.


End file.
